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MOTU MicroBook
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MOTU MicroBook

USB audio interface from MOTU belonging to the MicroBook series

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Published on 09/01/11 at 03:18
# -input, 2-output bus-powered "plug-and-play" USB audio interface for Mac and Windows.
# 4 x 8 physical input/output channels.
# 10-bus digital mixer to route and mix live inputs with live computer tracks.
# Pre-amp equipped mic input with Precision Digital Trim™, 48V phantom power, and 20 dB pad.
# Includes female XLR to quarter-inch adapter for plugging in a standard male XLR mic cable.
# Guitar input with Precision Digital Trim.
# Stereo line level analog input (balanced TRS quarter-inch or stereo mini).
# Stereo balanced TRS quarter-inch line level main outs.
# Stereo eighth-inch “mini” line level out.
# S/PDIF digital out (duplicates main out).
# Headphone output on eighth-inch stereo "mini" jack with independent volume control.
# Support for both 44.1 and 48 kHz sample rates on all analog and digital ins/outs.
# Digitally controlled analog trim for all analog inputs.
# Digital trim for all outputs.
# CueMix™ FX no-latency mixing and monitoring with EQ and dynamics processing.
# 7-band parametric EQ and compression.
# Test tone and white/pink noise generator.
# Advanced audio analysis software tools, including FFT display, spectrogram "waterfall" display, oscilloscope, X-Y plot, and phase analysis.
# Industry standard Mac and Windows drivers (Core Audio, Wave, and ASIO) for across-the-board software compatibility.
# Compatible with all current and recent generation Macs and PCs.
# Includes AudioDesk DAW software for Mac, USB cable, and mic cable adapter.
# Chassis dimensions: 3.6 × 5.5 × 1.0 inches (9.14 × 13.97 × 2.54 cm).
# Weight: 10.5 ounces (297 grams).

This is a sort of portable Mic preamp that motu offers. Quite small, like the size of an external hardrive but thinner and a little bit smaller overall. USB powered, which is quite convenient. For the features included in such a small unit I think it's quite good!!



UTILIZATION

The cuemixfx latency is almost non existent! It's great! Though I still just really use my DAW for most of the monitoring. As for tracking and what not, it's fine. Stable and reliable!

I can't really complain much about it. I can record up to about 2 tracks, though I don't really do that live anyway as I track everything myself and I only have two hands.



GETTING STARTED

Plug it in and install the software if needed. The CUEMIX FX needs some getting used to. When I first plugged this in there was some auto-monitoring coming through to my speakers, which was nice, however, I run cubase and use the monitoring from cubase. So when I booted up cubase I had 2 signals coming from the microbook's software as well as cubase, it was kind of distracting and took me a few minutes to figure out how to mute the micrbook's monitoring.

As far as cuemixfx go I don't really use it. Don't really need it either, I have everything I need from cubase and other software DAWs I run. Oh, well maybe I use the phantom power. That's a definite necessity.

OVERALL OPINION

I like it. Quality sound. I have the motu ultralite and downgraded to this simply because I wanted something smaller and I didn't even use any of the onboard FX etc that were built in the ultralite. I'm very simple when it comes to tracking and didn't need all the fancy gadgets etc. And if I do, it's all software and plugins now anyhow. I don't need anything else from a preamp except the A/DA converters to be honest, and phantom power. That's about it and that's what this microbook offers. The fact that it's USB powered also means less tangle which is always great!

I've never had problems with MOTU stuff. This is why I only go with MOTU.